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Excel-find difference between 2 letters

Tags:
excel
ASCII
character
September 27, 2011 at 20:59:43
Specs: Windows 7
Hello. I am just learning Excel, so forgive me if there is a simple solution that I have missed!

I am trying to find a way to calculate the difference between two letters of the alphabet in two different columns.

Column A is a set of letters of the alphabet indicating proficiency levels at certain time of year (where A is lowest, B is better, C is better sill, and so on through the alphabet to Z). Column B is another set of letters indicating proficency levels (From A through Z) at a different time of year.

I want to find the difference to show growth over time. For example, if the value at A1 is C and the value at B1 is H, the growth in C1 would be +5 levels.

Is there an easy way to accomplish this? Do I need to replace the letter A with the numeral 1, B with the numeral 2, C with the numeral 3, and so on to write this formula (and what is the easist way to do that?)

Thank you!
Michelle


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#1
September 28, 2011 at 00:45:00
All characters have what is known as ASCII values A=65 Z=90 a=97 z=122
ex.
A1 = "C"
B1 = "H"
C1 = CODE(B1) - CODE(A1)
= 72 - 67
= 5

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#2
September 28, 2011 at 10:03:48
A minor correction to wizard-fred's response....

As written, with the quotes around C & H, the formula will return 0 since CODE() returns the ASCII value of the first character of the string - the double quote. Since both strings start with a double quote, the math will result in a 0 answer.

The example should have been written as follows:

ex.
A1 = C
B1 = H
C1 = =CODE(B1) - CODE(A1)
= 72 - 67
= 5

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